


Spider Senses

by water_poet



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Minor Wanda Maximoff/Vision, Nerdiness, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker is an Avenger, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-06 01:37:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11025870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/water_poet/pseuds/water_poet
Summary: You are the daughter of Tony Stark and Pepper, and have been shifted from guardian to guardian your whole life, learning how to fight and survive at the behest of your parents. You are a decent martial artist and a technology whiz. In the summer of your junior year in high school, your dad brings you to the Avengers headquarters to train over the summer. You're not looking forward to it.Then you meet Peter.!!!ON HIATUS!!!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had some people suggest I do a reader-insert, so I decided to give it a go. 
> 
> Also I'm trash, but you already knew that

"You know, if you took your earbuds out for a moment, we could talk and have some good old fashioned father-daughter bonding time" Tony says, sounding only the tiniest bit gruff.  
  
You sigh good naturedly and roll your eyes, pulling out the earbuds. "Fine. What do you want to bond about?"  
  
It's a warm summer afternoon in early June. The sky is perfectly clear, and you can already smell people barbecuing when you get out past the city. A suitcase full of clothes and other necessities is balanced in the backseat, and you're sitting shotgun, watching the fields go by.  
  
Tony shrugs. "I don't know. Good movies you've seen, or any guys you've talked to" he suggests.  
  
"Oh, planning on adding to your hit list?" you tease, feeling fairly certain your father winks at you. It's hard to tell when he's almost always wearing sunglasses.  
  
Biting your lip, you lean back in your seat. "How's mom?" you ask. "I haven't talked to her since Christmas"  
  
Tony sighs, and you can hear the bitterness in his voice. "She's on a business trip. Again" he explains, not bothering to go into any more detail.  
  
It's easy to tell when your parents have had a fight.  
  
Realizing that's all you'll be hearing about regarding your mom, you stop talking, turning your gaze back towards the window. You absently drum your nails on your thigh, yawning. Your parents are never an easy topic, especially when they're on bad terms. You look too much like both of them, and you suspect they have trouble talking to you when all they can see is each other.  
  
That's probably going to be an issue this summer.  
  
"She said to tell you she said hello" Tony says abruptly, turning a sharp corner onto a gravel road. The crunch drowns out the rest of his sentence, but you don't think it worth asking him to repeat it.  
  
"Oh. Okay" is all you can think to say.  
  
The next few minutes pass in silence, and you get the feeling you're both deep in thought.  
  
It isn't that you don't want to spend the summer with the Avengers. You know most of them pretty well, after all. But for you, summer was a time to get away and forget for just a few short months that you were a Stark.  
  
You glance out the window to distract yourself. There's no fields out the window now, only shrubbery and telephone poles. Eventually, you notice the haphazard greenery fading to smooth lawn. A few moments later, you're pulling up to the huge grey building that is the Avengers headquarters.  
  
"We're here, kiddo!" Tony says, suddenly in a much better mood. He ruffles your hair before getting out to grab your suitcase. In spite of everything, you giggle, climbing out after him.  
  
There's a familiar face waiting for you outside the base.  
  
"Steve!" you call excitedly, hurrying forward to give the former soldier a big hug. He grins, lifting you into the air as easily as if you weighed nothing at all, just as he had done when you were much smaller.  
  
"Hey, y/n!" he says, setting you back down. "How was school?"  
  
"Don't remind me" you groan, and the two of you laugh. You've known Steve for a several years now, although you've just started to get used to calling him Steve, as he insisted, instead of Captain Rogers.  
  
"Afternoon, Rogers" your dad says crisply, offering his hand in greeting. Steve accepts, still beaming.  
  
"Good to see you, Tony" he replies. "Can I take the bags?"  
  
You've learned from experience that a good natured offer from Steve almost always turns into a friendly but embarrassing quarrel between himself and Tony. Not wanting to get caught up in such an event, you step in quickly.  
  
"It's alright, I can get it" you insist, quickly grabbing the handle before anyone else can take it. "Where's my room?"  
  
"Up on the third floor. Tony had it organized just for you" Steve says with a wink. You feel a rush of warmth for your dad. When he tries to be a father, he's not so bad at it.  
  
The base is even more impressive once you step through the huge glass doors. Every surface is polished clean enough that you can see your reflection blinking back at you. You know for a fact that everything from the training equipment to the kitchens is the latest and greatest in technology. It isn't an unpleasant place, but the cool air coupled with an uneasy silence makes you shiver.  
  
"Dad - " you start, trying to compliment him on his design. Before you can get another word out, you're interrupted by another eager voice.  
  
"Mr. Stark!"  
  
You don't have time to duck before a red something, roughly your size, comes flying down from one of the upper levels. The thing crashes into you with a yelp, sending you both sprawling to the floor. As your head spins, you hear Steve stifling a laugh.  
  
The thing struggles to its feet, and you can now see it's a human in a familiar suit. The eyes of his mask widen, and he bend slightly, offering a gloved hand.  
  
"Sorry! So, so sorry, I totally didn't see you!" the mask says.  
  
You accept the hand, smiling. "It's alright. I've got bruises everywhere anyway. What's a few more?" you joke. "Nice to meet you, - ?"  
  
The figures pulls off his mask, flashing a bright smile. "Peter. You?"  
  
You answer, and there's an awkward silence. You both can't help but giggle.  
  
Tony clears his throat, interrupting both of you. "Was there something you wanted to tell me, Parker?"  
  
Peter coughs sheepishly, his gaze falling to the impeccably scrubbed floor tiles. "No. Just wanted to say hi" he mutters.  
  
Tony sighs, rubbing his temples. "Try not to knock my daughter out next time" he says wearily.  
  
"Of course not, sir! I'll make it up to both of you" Peter says quickly, grabbing your toppled suitcase and offering you his arm. "Shall I show you to your room, m'lady?" he asks you with a playful wink.  
  
"But of course, my good man" you tease back, looping your arm through his and following him towards the elevators.  
  
Tony and Steve watch you go with a mixture of amusement and confusion.

* * *

"So how do you know where my room is?" you ask Peter, as the two of you stroll down the hall. As you walk, you can see into some of the training rooms and the lab. You catch a glimpse of Nat and Wanda sparring, and Bruce tinkering about with something. Despite your apprehension to spend the summer training at your dad's high tech base, you can't help but smile when you realize you'll get to see your old friends.  
  
"I had to help move some furniture" Peter explains, waving to Scott as you pass by another training room.  
  
"Ah. Figures dad made you do all the dirty work" you say, only half joking. Peter's laugh in response is a little bitter.  
  
"Yeah. I don't think he likes me very much" he says softly, as if he's worried Tony will hear.  
  
You shrug. "Some days, I don't think he likes anybody" you whisper back, nudging your companions arm playfully. He laughs out loud this time, and you can't help but smile at the sound. It's endearingly genuine and sweet.  
  
The rest of the walk passes in comfortable silence, the two of you just making your way through the base. When you finally reach your room, you almost don't want to head in.  
  
"Here we are! A pleasure to escort you" Peter says, with a mock bow.  
  
You curtsy. "The pleasure is mine, good sir" you say, and you both laugh again. He starts to go, and you realize you definitely don't want him to.  
  
"Can you give me a tour later?" you ask abruptly. "I don't really know my way around"  
  
Peter flashes you another grin. "Sure thing. I'll be back in and hour" he says, waving farewell.  
  
You wave back before turning and entering your room.  
  
For some reason, you can't get that grin out of your mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't going to be super long, btw.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is this still a thing

"I'll be honest with you, I'm new here, so I won't be much of a tour guide"  
  
You laugh. "Don't worry. I've never been here in my life anyway"  
  
"I though you were Tony's daughter"  
  
"I am. But this place is pretty new, and I just never had time to visit" you explain, stuffing your hands into your hoodie pocket.  
  
Peter grins. "Well, it would appear I'm a step ahead of a Stark for once" he teases, poking your shoulder.  
  
You roll your eyes. "Alright, spider boy, on with the tour" you say, starting to walk ahead of him.  
  
He scoffs in false indignation, trotting after you. "That's _man_ to you!"

* * *

You don't hear much of the tour. You're far too focused on Peter for the most part. He can't stop grinning from ear to ear like a kid on Christmas, and he laughs at every bad joke you make. His eyes light up when he's talking, and it's absolutely adorable.  
  
Somehow, the hours fly by and you're back by your room. The sun is starting to set, and you can hear crickets starting to chirp outside.  
  
"That took longer than I thought" Peter mutters sheepishly, eyeing the darkening sky.  
  
You can't help but laugh. "It's alright. I enjoyed it" you assure him.  
  
"Oh! Oh, good" he says, genuinely relieved. "D'you wanna come down for dinner? There's probably leftovers in the fridge"  
  
"I'm kinda surprised dad didn't just make an army of robo-chefs" you joke.  
  
Peter shrugs. "You and me both" he grins, starting to walk away. You quickly follow.  
  
"So why are you here?" Peter asks. Before you can answer, his face turns pink. "I didn't mean it as an insult, I just - "  
  
You punch his arm playfully, interrupting his apology. "I know, dork. Dad wants me to get some training, so I'm here over the summer" you explain.  
  
Peter detects the bitterness in your tone, and he smiles sympathetically. "Not your ideal summer, huh?"  
  
"Not really" you admit.  
  
The rest of the trek to the kitchen is silent, and you don't really mind. At some point, your fingers brush against Peter's and he pulls away instantly. When you look up at his face, his eyes are fixed straight ahead, but you think you can detect a blush across his cheeks.  
  
The kitchen is empty, and you're somewhat thankful for that. Peter stoops slightly to look into the fridge, biting his lip and pushing his hair back from his face as he does so.  
  
"Do you want Chinese takeout? I think Mr. Lang might've ordered it yesterday" he says.  
  
"I though Scott hated Chinese" you say, pulling yourself into one of the barstools as Peter takes two white boxes out of the fridge.  
  
"He does" he says, fishing in the cabinets for bowls. "But he either forgets or is desperate enough to order some. It's the closest takeout to the base, so it gets here the fastest" he adds, scraping the contents of the boxes into the bowls.  
  
You roll your eyes, absently drumming your fingers on the marbled countertop. "Sounds like Scott"  
  
Peter hums absently in response, examining the microwave carefully. You try to stifle you laughter and watch as he hesitantly presses a button, only to yelp and jump back when the microwave speaks with a familiar Scottish accent.  
  
"One" it says, indicating the number pushed on the keypad.  
  
You can't stop the laughter, and Peter glares playfully at you.  
  
"Shut up" he mutters, punching in the rest of the time and starting the device. "You Starks and all your nonsense" he adds with a wink.  
  
The wink is cute, and so is he, but it hurts just a bit. Still, you force a laugh. It's painfully false, and Peter notices instantly.  
  
"I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just - "  
  
"No, don't worry about it" you say, almost involuntarily. "I was just hoping to get away from the Stark part for a while, that's all"  
  
It sounds stupid when you say it out loud. "Don't mind me, I'm just tired of being rich and respected". To your surprise, Peter offers you a smile, reaching across the countertop and placing his hand gently on yours.  
  
"That's alright with me" he says.  
  
The microwave beeps and FRIDAY's voice announces loudly that the food is done. Peter jumps again, and you snicker quietly. As he grabs the bowls, you both hear a faint voice from somewhere in the base.  
  
"IS THAT MY TAKEOUT, PARKER?"  
  
You both shoot each other a frightened but amused glance. Pressing a finger to his lips, Peter tilts his head towards a back door leading outside. You nod in response, grabbing the bowls and tiptoeing out after him.  
  
The back of the base is a little nicer than the front. It's a good acre of grass before fading into sparse trees, with a few spotlights for security precautions. There's a makeshift porch made of wooden pallets and a few plastic beach chairs. There's a handful of Christmas lights hanging about, providing dim but adequate lighting. Tony had told you on many occasions that Avengers don't have much time to relax outdoors.  
  
You're pretty sure he just doesn't like the outdoors.  
  
"Hopefully he won't think to look for us out here" Peter says, accepting the bowl you hand him.  
  
"You know he's not _really_ mad, right?" you ask playfully.  
  
"Can't take any chances" he replies with another wink.  
  
You laugh, your eyes trailing out towards the dim lawn. There's not much to see, and the landscape somehow feels more sterile and lonely than the base itself.  
  
Peter notices your concerned gaze. "What's up?" he asks.  
  
You shake your head, taking a bite of your food. "Nothing" you insist. "Just kind of a boring view, that all"  
  
Peter nods in agreement, before giving you a mischievous smirk. "When you're done, I'll show you where you can get the best view in this whole place" he promises.  
  
It's not meant as a flirtatious line, and yet your ears feel hot. Instead of embarrassing yourself, you chuckle, taking another bite. "I'm holding you to that"  
  
"Deal"  
  
You eat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the sound of the wind in the trees and the incessant chirping of the crickets. You'd only ever heard it a few times, like when you and Tony would go catch fireflies in Central Park, or when you visited Pepper's sister Catherine out in Montana.  
  
The sound of Peter's fork scraping against the bowl startles you, and you turn to see him setting the dish down and rising. He offers you his hand to help you up before turning around and heading for the side of the building.  
  
"Get on my back and I'll climb up" he says, almost too casually.  
  
You scoff, only half jokingly. "I don't know if I trust you enough, Parker" you say.  
  
He flashed you a grin. "Think of it as a trust building exercise, then"  
  
You sigh, approaching him. You're no stranger to heights, and in general have little fear of them. After all, you've lived in skyscrapers all your life. You parents take you in their jets, and you've been on any number of extreme sports trips.  
  
Then again, those have safety precautions.  
  
You wrap your arms around Peter's neck and curl your legs tightly round his waist. He giggles at your death grip, and you'd punch him if you could.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Yeah" you say, closing you eyes. As the two of you start to climb, you involuntarily press you face into Peter's shoulder, trying not to look like a wimp.  
  
Fortunately, he's quick, and you've reached the food before you know it. You slide off Peter's back shakily, heaving a sigh of relief.  
  
"That wasn't so bad" you say. "Thanks for not dropping me"  
  
"Are you kidding? Mr. Stark would hang me by my own web if I so much as broke one of your fingernails" Peter replies, his tone very solemn.  
  
"What he doesn't know won't hurt him" you point out. "Now, what's this great view you wanted to show me?"  
  
Peter smiles, and you realize the way the golden light pouring over the roof catches in his eyes. He gestures to the scene behind you, and you almost don't want to look away.  
  
"It's beautiful" you say softly.  
  
The sun sets slowly over the trees, filtering through the branches like an intricate mosaic. The horizon is painted orange and purple, blended together again the darkening sky.  
  
"I do my homework up here" Peter says, walking past you and sitting on the edge of the building. He pays the spot next to him, and you sit. "It's quiet, and I can forget I'm a spider-mutant fighting for the justice of the world for a bit"  
  
You giggle. "Wall climbing and webs. The struggles never end for you, huh?"  
  
"You forgot super strength" Peter says with a wink.  
  
"Whatever, spider boy"  
  
The lights across the field shut down suddenly with a loud click. Peter stands, helping you up as well. " FRIDAY's probably shutting everything down for the night. We should get to bed before anyone wonders where we are"  
  
Nodding in agreement, you follow Peter to the stairwell the leads down into the building. You're on a floor higher than he is, so you bid him goodnight and enter your room alone.  
  
Turns out your dad knew a lot of cool people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yeah, I'm trash ;P


	3. Chapter 3

You are not a morning person, something you are painfully reminded of when the sound of Hulk and Thor beating each other to a pulp in one of the basement training rooms wakes you at around 7 AM. You groan, clamping your pillow over your ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise, knowing full well that there's no more sleep to be had.  
  
With another groan, you roll out of bed and groggily make your way through the base and to the kitchen. To your relief, there's a small crowd assembled at the table. Tony looks up from his coffee and smiles wearily.  
  
"Morning, kiddo" he says, ruffling your hair. You swat at his hand playfully before grabbing a mug from one of the cupboards and getting yourself some coffee.  
  
Natasha waves you over to the seat between herself and Clint.  
  
"Hey" she greets you, passing a large plate of toast. "Sleep alright?"  
  
You glance down towards the noise pointedly. "For a while, yes"  
  
Clint grunts groggily in agreement, stirring his coffee absently whilst staring into space like a zombie. The quiet clinking of metal against ceramic is heard for a little while, pleasantly familiar.  
  
Eager to break the silence, Steve sets his coffee mug down and smiles brightly. "Y/N! Wanda and I are doing some sparring reps later this morning. Do you want to join us?" he asks cheerfully. You see Tony roll his eyes.  
  
You think for a moment before nodding. "Sure. I'll see you there" you say, draining the rest of your coffee. "I'm gonna finish unpacking"  
  
"Have fun with that" Clint mumbles, slowly beginning to rouse himself from his stupor.  
  
On your way out of the kitchen, you bump into another familiar face.  
  
"Pardon me, Miss Stark. Are you quite alright?"  
  
"I'm fine, Viz"  
  
"That is good to hear" the android replies. "I regret not being present to greet you yesterday. I hope to see you more often in the coming months"  
  
"You too, man" you say, if only to see the confused look on his face he always gets when you refer to him as "man" or "dude". Before he can correct you, you dart off down the hall and into the elevator.  
  
The cheesy music that Tony insists on having (it annoys Clint to no end) starts to play, and you close your eyes and lean against the smooth wooden wall. You're struck very suddenly by how tired you are, in spite of everything. Hopefully, you can grab a nap before you're supposed to meet Steve for training.  
  
A sharp ding startles you awake. Blinking, you exit the elevator and make your way down to your room. As you open the door, you know Pepper would wince to see such a space.  
Your bed is still unmade, with a pillow or two having fallen on the floor. Your clothes from the previous day are piled at the edge of your bed, and your shoes are in two wildly different locations. The suitcase you brought is open, and its contents are partially strewn about the floor, the result of your hurried search for your toothbrush.  
  
Not feeling at all in the mood to clean, you stoop down with a groan and start to collect your possessions.  
  
Halfway through stacking your shirts into the dresser, there's a knock at the door.  
  
"FRIDAY, who is it?" you ask absently, cramming the last few shirts together.  
  
"Mr. Parker, m'am" the calm Scottish drawl replies.  
  
For some reason, you perk up instantly. Shutting the drawer as best you can, you make your way to the door and open it. As soon as you do, you want to laugh.  
  
Peter's wearing an oversize Spider-Man shirt and his glasses. He still looks half-asleep, but his tired smile is more than enough.  
  
"Hey" he says. "Just wanted to see how you were doing"  
  
"I'm alright" you reply, stepping aside and opening the door a little wider. "Want to come in?"  
  
He shrugs, and you get the feeling he's not fully registering his actions. Nevertheless, he enters, sitting in one of the armchairs by the somewhat excessive TV.  
  
"By the way, nice pajamas" you tease, poking his shoulder.  
  
Peter grins sheepishly. "Oh, yeah. Got it as a joke gift from Mr. Stark a few months ago. He thinks he's hilarious"  
  
You giggle. "Don't I know it" you agree, opening the balcony door to let some fresh air in. It already smells like fresh cut grass.  
  
"Do you have any plans for today?" Peter asks.  
  
"I've got training with Steve in about an hour. Wanna come?" you ask, digging through your bag for your hairbrush.  
  
Your companion shrugs. "Yeah, why not?"  
  
An inexplicable rush of happiness comes over you at his words.  
  
"Awesome. See you then, Parker. Now shoo, I've got to change" you say.  
  
Instantly, he's out of his chair with his hand over his eyes, groping for the door handle as he walks backwards towards said door.  
  
"Right! Right, you do that. I'll see you at training!" he blurts quickly, nearly tripping over the small rug on the floor as he scrambles for the doorway.  
  
You can't help but giggle.  
  
The next hour passes, and as soon as FRIDAY sounds the alarm you had previously set, you sling your gym bag over your shoulder and exit the room.  
  
Wanda is waiting by the elevator. She smiles when she sees you, and you give a little wave. You and Wanda have a quiet sort of friendship. There's not much shouting or laughing, but you're both very comfortable around each other.  
  
"How have things been?" you ask as both of you enter the elevator.  
  
She shrugs. "Alright, I suppose. Viz is getting better at coming through the door" she adds with a small chuckle.  
  
"He'll move the stars for you, but that door will always be an issue" you say dramatically, voice hushed.  
  
"Ah, shush" Wanda mutters, crossing her arms shyly. "You are already taking to spider boy, anyhow"  
  
"Oh, sure" you reply sarcastically. Wanda raises an eyebrow, but she can't get a word out before the elevator dings, and the two of you exit.  
  
The gym isn't much different from any club or rec center. The floors are speckled rubber mats, and the racks are stocked with every weight size imaginable. Of course, it's full of Tony's little jokes, like having the smaller weights marked with red and blue and the larger ones in gold.  
  
Peter and Steve are sitting on the weight benches talking when the two of you enter. At the sound of your feet, they both look up and wave.  
  
"Hey, Y/N! Hey, Wanda" Peter says cheerfully.  
  
"Hello, spider boy" Wanda teases, turning to Steve before Peter can protest. "Are we working on support again?"  
  
Steve stands and nods, offering his hand playfully to Wanda. She accepts, and the two of them make their way to one of the padded rooms, where they can practice maneuvering without fear of Steve breaking a bone if Wanda drops him.  
  
You turn to Peter. "Guess we're stuck with each other" you say.  
  
He pouts. "Bummer"  
  
Rolling your eyes, you ruffle his hair playfully and make your way over to the mats.  
  
"Don't be afraid to go hard on me" you say. "Just remember I'm no superhero"  
  
Peter shakes his head. "You could best anyone in this building if you wanted to, I bet"  
  
You shrug. "Probably" you admit, rolling your head and allowing your neck to crack satisfyingly. Peter winces, and you grin, holding up your hands.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
He winks. "Of course"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the hits and kudos! It really means a lot :)

Admittedly, fighting a superhero isn't easy.  
  
But you're not about to let Peter know that. It's been nearly an hour, and he's hardly winded. Your chest feels raw from gasping for air, and he's pinned you more times than you can count.  
  
Granted, you've beaten him a few times, but you can't help but think he let you.  
  
You pour some water in your palm and splash it into your face, letting out a big puff of air. The soreness already forming in your upper arms and thighs gives you a friendly reminder that you'll be feeling it tomorrow.  
  
"Y/N? You okay?" Peter asks. "We can stop, if you want"  
  
You shake your head, standing. "One more round, spider boy. Let's do this" you say, rolling your shoulders as if to give a show of intimidating Peter.  
  
He sighs, but it's not annoyed. Indeed, he seems a little more concerned with you stubbornness.  
  
"One more" he concedes.  
  
His first blow barely grazes the side of your head, and before he can throw another, you hook your foot around his ankle and yank. To your satisfaction, he loses his footing and you throw him to the ground. He lands with a hard smack on the mat.  
  
You're about to celebrate when you notices he's moving his mouth like a fish out of water. You've knocked the air out of him. In an instant, you're helping him sit up, rubbing his back gently.  
  
"Breathe, it's gonna be fine" you coax gently.  
  
Gradually, his gaping turns to wheezing which turns to ordinary breathing. He takes a few deep breaths before turning to you.  
  
"No superhero, huh?" he says, rubbing his head.  
  
You chuckle, leaning back on your heels. "Trust me, dad would let me fight over his dead body"  
  
Peter shrugs. "Well, don't look at me. I've heard it's bad business practice to kill one's boss"  
  
"He's also my dad, you dork" you add playfully.  
  
Peter doesn't reply. Instead, he stands carefully and offers you a hand. You accept, wincing as your legs stretch back out. As you reach for your water again, you notice Peter watching you fondly.  
  
"What's up?" you ask, tilting your head.  
  
He shakes himself, shaking his head as he wipes his face with his towel. "Nothing. Just staring, that's all" he replies.  
  
"Oh? See anything you like?" you tease.  
  
He holds up his hands in a declaration of surrender. "Not according to your dad, I don't"  
  
"Please" you say, coming a little closer and rolling your eyes. "Don't let him scare you. He only pretends to be mean"  
  
Peter laughs again, shaking his head and grabbing his duffel bag. As he head towards the door, he turns slightly and waves.  
  
"If you say so. See you later, Y/N!" he calls.  
  
"Back at you, dork!" you reply.  
  
The door barely shuts when someone taps your shoulder. You jump slightly, turning around to find Wanda grinning mischievously at you. She glances pointedly at the closed door, then back at you.  
  
"Oh, hush" you say.  
  
She shrugs. "I did not say anything"

* * *

The sun is starting to set, and you're making your way to the roof. You backpack is slung across your shoulder, digging painfully into your sore muscles. Thankfully, the flight of stairs is short and sweet.  
  
As you'd expected, Peter is already up there. He's wearing his suit and sitting on the edge of the roof, leaning back on his palms and humming. He doesn't hear you at first, and you don't want to frighten him.  
  
"Hey"  
  
He turns with only a slight jump and waves. "Hey! Taking my study advice?"  
  
You grin, coming up to sit besides him. "Something like that. Don't give yourself too much credit, spider boy"  
  
"Hey, now, it _was_ my idea"  
  
You chuckle, opening your laptop and pulling up your half finished summer paper. Your eyes dart across the words, teeth worrying your lower lip as you squint. Unbeknownst to you, Peter is watching with gentle affection.  
  
"So, what're you doing up here?" you ask, fingers starting to click away at the keypad.  
  
"I was doing climbing drills. I made them up myself, since, you know, there's not exactly a YouTube video" he says.  
  
You look up and eyes the spider emblazoned on his chest. "And the suit?"  
  
To your slight glee, his face flushes, and his hand comes up to sheepishly rub the back of his neck. "I like wearing it. Makes me feel...important, I guess" he says softly, eyes darting up to search yours.  
  
You can't help but feel a slight flutter in your chest. Reaching over to place a hand on Peter's knee, you offer a smile.  
  
"Dude, you're a spider-human hybrid. That's the coolest shit. You're very important" you say, stumbling a bit over your words. Peter doesn't seem to notice. Instead, he grins.  
  
"Thanks" he says, suddenly moving closer to you and scanning the paper you're writing. "The Great Gatsby, huh? One of your favorites?"  
  
You shrug. "It's never fun if it's for school"  
  
Peter nods. "Need any help?"  
  
You flash him a grin. "If you wanna take a break from your Avenger duties and proofread my English paper, feel free" you say, passing him the laptop.  
  
He accepts eagerly, starting to read. You watch his dark eyes scan the screen, bright and curious. He puts a gloved hand to his chin and rests it there, slightly biting his knuckle. You want to remind him that life's not a photo shoot, but you're enjoying the view too much to do so.  
  
Too soon, he hands the laptop back. "In more of a science man myself, but I like it!" he says with a bright smile.  
  
"Which parts?" you ask, knowing full well he's probably lying to spare your feelings.  
  
"It's all good! I think you've got a good jump on everything" he assures you. "It's all very interesting and nicely written"  
  
"You're certain?"  
  
"Yes, Y/N. I'm certain" Peter assures you.  
  
Somehow, you believe him completely.  
  
He doesn't move from your side as you continue to type. Even though he doesn't say much, you feel better just having him around.  
  
The screen is the only source of light by the time you're yawning and close the device. You've been talking and laughing with Peter for hours, and not much had gotten done. Nevertheless, your eyelids are begging for a break, so you decide to turn in for the night. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust, and you stand up shakily.  
  
Peter hands you your bag, and you're pretty sure he's grinning at you.  
  
"Thanks for the help" you say.  
  
"Don't worry about it" he replies.  
  
You attempt one step in the dark and almost fall flat on your face. Thankfully, Peter catches you and rights you. As you look up, you see he's pulled on his mask. Despite this, you're pretty sure he's laughing at you.  
  
He taps one of the eyes of the mask. "Night vision" he explains.  
  
You sigh dramatically, rolling your eyes. "As if you _needed_ something else to brag about" you tease.  
  
He laughs. "I'm very humble"  
  
You let out a sudden shriek as two strong arms scoop you up. Shaking your head, you smack what you believe the be Peter's chest.  
  
"Dammit, Peter Parker, warn me!"  
  
He shrugs, and you bounce slightly. "Sorry. Forgot you couldn't see for a second"  
  
"If you drop me, so help me - "  
  
"You weight nothing. I'm not gonna drop you" Peter assures you.  
  
The gentle rocking of you in his grasp is nice, almost soothing. You close your eyes, yawning. Involuntarily, you head nods to rest against Peter's chest. You can hear his heartbeat faintly, and take comfort in the steady sound.  
  
Too soon, you're at the staircase down into the base.  
  
"I'm gonna set you down, okay?"  
  
Your sleepy brain protests, do you shake your head and make a vague gesture forward.  
  
"Onward, steed!" you mumble softly.  
  
You half expect Peter to say no. Instead, he shifts you slightly, pulling you a little closer and starting down the stairs.  
  
You've fallen into a half sleep state, and feel quite certain you're on a boat, rocking in the waves.  
  
"Y/N, what's the password for your room?" you hear Peter's voice.  
  
"Trying to seduce me, Mr. Parker?" you say with a drowsy grin before telling him the code.  
  
In a few moments, there's something soft at your back and a gentle pressure above you.  
  
"Goodnight, Y/N" says Peter.  
  
You murmur softly in response, dozing off just as the door clicks shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be having too much fun with this one


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll bet three dollars that Tony's a Portal fan (and is horrible at it)

"Dad? Do you keep any prototype suits around here?"  
  
Your dad turns in his chair, raising an eyebrow and trying to look intimidating. It's hard to take him seriously in an Aperture Labs T-shirt and a "World's Greatest Dad" mug in his hand, but you do your best.  
  
"Why exactly do you want to know?" Tony asks, setting the mug down and crossing his arms.  
  
You shrug, doing your best to look innocent and curious. "I dunno. Just thought I'd get some parts to tinker with while I've got free time"  
  
"Don't you have summer work?" Tony asks. You suspect he's only teasing, so you play along.  
  
"Dad, we're at your top secret super people base. It's kinda hard to focus on summer work in this situation" you insist.  
  
"Lack of focus has never been a problem for you, kiddo, no matter where we are" Tony says calmly. As you let out a dramatically offended gasp, he opens one of his many desk drawers and beginning to shuffle around inside. A moment later, he tosses you a small device, not much bigger than a car key.  
  
"That's for the garage. There's lot of my old junk down there, in case I need it again" he explains.  
  
You toss the device into the air and catch it again, if only to show off. "Thanks, pops!" you say teasingly.  
  
He's already back at his computer, typing rapidly. You roll your eyes and exit the lab, shutting the door calmly behind you. As soon as you do so, you nearly bump heads with Peter.  
  
"Did it work?" he asks eagerly, his face starting to flush red as the blood drained towards it.  
  
You grin. "Get off the ceiling and I'll tell you" you say.  
  
He does so, landing with an inelegant thud and using your shoulder to stabilize himself. As soon as he's able to support himself, his looks back up at you eagerly.  
  
"So?"  
  
You toss him the device. "Take me to the garage, spider-boy"  
  
He straightens, giving you a mock salute. "As you wish, ma'am" he says in his best British accent.  
  
"C'mon, dork" you insist.  
  
The two of you start to walk, with Peter eyeing the garage key.  
  
"So why the sudden fascination with your dad's suits?" he asks.  
  
Your eyes light up. "It's really stupid, but I've always wanted rocket boots. I think, with dad's old shit and my tech-savvy brain, I can make some pretty cool ones"  
  
"Sweet!" Peter says.  
  
"Glad you agree, Parker" you say with a laugh. "Especially since I might need your help"  
  
"Color me flattered" he replied, tossing the garage key up into the air in an attempt to catch it. Unlike you, he's not so successful.  
  
"Nice one, Parker" you say as he bends down to grab the key.  
  
He pouts playfully, crossing his arms like a petulant child and jutting his lower lip out to such a degree that you can't help but laugh.  
  
There aren't any cars in the garage. It's not even a garage, per say, but Tony's never been one for good names.  
  
The key opens a large, somewhat clunky door to a somewhat large concrete room filled with junk. Scrap metal and other parts are piled high on tables and falling off of shelves. The whole place reeks of metal and dust, and you like it almost immediately.  
  
"You ever been down here?" you ask Peter.  
  
He shakes his head, eyeing the dust and cobwebs. "Nope. And from the looks of it, no one else has, either"  
  
There's a loud crash as you push a pile of scraps off a nearby table and open your laptop. "Start looking for any parts that might help" you command, pulling up a handful of blueprints.  
  
"I'm the gopher now, am I?" he teases.  
  
You give him a sly glance, and he grins back before setting out to his task. As you start setting up a program, you can see him out of the corner of your eye, hair falling in his face and curious eyes darting over bits of scrap. He teeth dig into his lower lip and you force your eyes back to your screen before you make a fool of yourself.  
  


* * *

  
"Okay, this is test number 34" Peter says, angling your cellphone a little higher.  
  
"Safety net ready?" you ask. He hold up his hand in response, curling his fingers into his signature gesture.  
  
You take a breath, eyeing your boots carefully. They're certainly nothing spectacular. The pieces you've collected are arranged clumsily around some mini boosters, inelegantly coupled with clunky stabilizers. Not to mention they're starting to hurt your feet.  
  
You place your finger over the button to start the thruster sequence. "Ready?"  
  
"Mmhm"  
  
There's a small click and you shoot into the air with a yelp. You quickly brace your arms above your head, just barely brushing the ceiling. As you hover slightly, you see Peter, still holding the camera but ready to take action if something went wrong.  
  
Taking a breath, you angle your feet downward. The weight shift causes the thrusters to regress, and you start to descend slowly. You shift your feet again, slightly upward this time, and successfully move higher. Leaning your body, you start to glide carefully towards one side.  
  
"Sweet!" you hear Peter say. Chancing a glance downward, you throw him the wink he's so fond of giving you.  
  
"I'm going to try and adjust it manually" you call, reaching for the control panel strapped to your wrist. As you start to descend, you don't notice how warm your feet are getting.  
The thrusters cut out suddenly and everything happens too fast to blink. With another yelp, you're falling towards the concrete. You hear a crash as Peter drops the camera, and you close your eyes and brace for contact.  
  
Your back gently scrapes the floor, and for a moment your heart is beating so loudly in your ears you can't hear much of anything.  
  
"Y/N! Y/N, are you alright?" Peter asks, leaning over you. "That was the coolest shit, but only if you're not fatally injured"  
  
You struggle against the sticky surface beneath you, wincing as it grabs at your hair and skin. Peter helps you up, carefully pulling strands off of your clothes.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks to you" you say with a smile, trying to shake a few strands off your fingers. "Eugh"  
  
"Hey!" he says, only slightly offended.  
  
Bending down to remove the boots, you heave a sigh. The buckles are warm to your touch, and you can feel the thruster still humming. As you heft the heavy boots onto one of the worktables, you pressed the kill switch.  
  
"I must've overheated the thrusters" you murmur, flipping one of the boots over to inspect the damage. "Damn"  
  
Peter leans over your shoulder, and when he speaks you can feel his breath against your neck. "What's up?"  
  
You shake your head, both in response and to quell the goose flesh rippling across your skin. "Looks like the circuitry of the left boot's totally fried. I'll have to fix it later" you say. "Right now, I need a shower" you add, picking some more webbing out of your hair.  
  
"What're you doing after?" Peter asks. His voice is higher than you've heard it, shaky and uncertain. As you turn to face him, his eyes dart to the ground.  
  
"I guess I don't know. Probably more work" you admit slowly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
He shrugs, now nudging at a loose bit of webbing with his toe. "We could go to that Chinese place nearby. If you wanna take a break" he mutters.  
  
You want to kick yourself as your cheeks redden. Instinctively, you want to say no. Going new places with someone you may or may not have a crush on is awkward to say the least, but he's looking at you so earnestly that your answer comes easily.  
  
"Yeah! Sure, that sounds great" you say.  
  
The gleam in his eyes is all the response you need.  
  
"Meet me out front in two hours, cool?" he asks, and you can tell he's forcing that last word.  
  
"Cool, bro" you tease, eliciting an embarrassed eye roll from your companion.  
  
"Knock it off" he says shyly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *inhales*  
> Plz help


	6. Chapter 6

"Be very careful with fast food" Tony had once told you. "Back in the day, I almost got assassinated three times by some nutter sneaking rubbing alcohol in my soda"  
  
You roll your eyes as you remember, sticking your hands in your pockets and looking up at the darkening sky.  
  
"Nice night, huh?"  
  
You jump with a small shriek before whipping around and slugging Peter's shoulder as hard as you can. He winces, clutching at the sore spot.  
  
"Sorry. But don't scare me like that!" you hiss.  
  
Peter laughs, rotating his shoulder to test it. "Never again" he agrees, and you can already see the spot turning red. You feel guilt at once, reaching for Peter's arm.  
  
"Oh, God, I'm sorry. Do you need ice?" you ask.  
  
He shakes his head. "No. I've got bruises everywhere. What's one more?"  
  
You wince as he repeats your words. "I'll punch you again" you threaten. He rotates, offering his undamaged shoulder.  
  
"At least go for the other side and make it even" he teases.  
  
You say nothing, only turn and start to walk. The gravel crunches as Peter jogs up to pace beside you.  
  
"Is this fast food place another one of your homework hideouts?" you ask playfully.  
  
Peter shrugs. "Anywhere away from adults is a hideout" he replies, only half joking.  
  
You find yourself agreeing with him, but say nothing. The pair of you crunch down the gravel road in silence, listening to the crickets and the distant humming of the highway.  
You're tempted to reach for Peter's hand, but only clench your fists a little tighter and focus on the road. He starts to hum, and you can't help but giggle.  
  
"Is that Rihanna?" you ask.  
  
His face is bright red. "No?"  
  
You scoff. "Nerd"  
  
"We agreed that we're both nerds" he insists. He's awfully cute when he can't stop blushing.  
  
"Fine, fine, fine" you say, holding up your hands in surrender. He grins and winks, and you're pretty sure you're blushing too.  
  
"Look, Y/N?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I'm glad you're here" Peter says, smiling down earnestly at you.  
  
You find yourself smiling back. "Me too"  
  
You're both staring at each other, smiling shyly and looking for all the world like absolute dorks. Taking a breath, you've just worked up the courage and reaching out to slip your hand into Peter's when he trips, nearly falling flat on his face. You grab his arm, steadying him.  
  
"Whoa, there!" you say with a laugh. "Eyes in front, soldier"  
  
He straightens, chuckling. "Yes, sir!"  
  
You're about to ask him something else when his eyes leave yours and he's jogging up ahead to where you can see artificial white light spilling onto the road. "It's just up here!" he calls, before disappearing behind the cluster of trees.  
  
Sighing, you follow his lead and find yourself in front of the restaurant.  
  
"Not exactly five star, I know" Peter mutters sheepishly.  
  
"I'm not really a five star gal" you admit, pushing open the door and smiling as the service bell jingles.  
  
"Restaurant" might be an overstatement for the fast food joint. The fluorescent white lights glare harshly down on dusty tiled floors, greasy tables, and vinyl booths missing half their stuffing. Odd knickknacks line the walls, trinkets and statues that you assume are of some great cultural value but also don't seem to stop staring at you. In spite of everything, however, you have to admit the place smells delicious.  
  
"What do you want?" Peter asks, eyeing the handwritten menu on the wall.  
  
"Whatever we stole from Scott was pretty good" you suggest with a shrug, sitting down in the nearest fully stuffed booth. You watch as Peter orders from the woman at the register and waits for the food. You find his habit of rocking back and forth, shifting his weight from foot to foot, incredibly endearing.  
  
You'd be quite alright just looking at him for the next hour, but the food comes a mere thirty seconds later. You tear your eyes away to avoid embarrassment, instead focusing intently on one of the odder statues.  
  
"Hey!" Peter says, slipping into the booth across from you. "You still awake?"  
  
Shaking yourself, you grab one of the somewhat squashy white boxes of food. "I'm fine, sorry. Just... thinking"  
  
"Dangerous" Peter replies, quirking his eyebrow.  
  
You shrug, mimicking his expression. "Probably"  
  
Peter chuckles, and you notice, perhaps not for the first time, the adorable way in which his eyes crinkle and his nose scrunches up. "I half expected you to tell me danger was your middle name" he says.  
  
You roll your eyes, twirling your fork into your noodles. Neither of you are very good with chopsticks. "My middle name is Shannon" you say.  
  
Peter tilts his head. "Oh? Why?"  
  
You want to take back your words. Talking about your family is something you've managed to avoid until now. Any other time you would have shrugged and changed the subject, but Peter's big brown eyes are looking at you so earnestly that you take a breath and tell him.  
  
"Named after dad's first nanny. She was Irish, in case you couldn't tell" you explain. "Dad always says Shannon was more a mother to him than grandma"  
  
"Did you ever meet your grandma?" Peter asks quietly.  
  
You shake your head. "No. Both my grandparents died before I was born, but I don't exactly lose sleep over it. I never knew them"  
  
The thought of _not_ missing someone appears to be confounding Peter. He leans back in his seat, chewing his lower lip.  
  
"What about you, spider-boy?" you ask teasingly, reaching across the tiny table to nudge Peter's arm, bringing his attention back to you. "What's your middle name?"  
  
He shakes his head. "James, same as my father" he says with a shrug.

"Peter James Parker" you say, smiling broadly. "I like it"

"You and no one else. It sounds like a law firm" he says. 

"A very cute law firm" you reply with a wink, feeling immense satisfaction as Peter nearly chokes on his food. 

"'S hot" he manages, face red

"You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. Where do you go to school?" he asks abruptly, and you can tell he's eager to change the subject.

"Homeschooled. I've had at least twenty tutors in my life" you say. "Better than public high school, I guess"

Peter shrugs, not meeting your gaze. "It's not so bad" he says. "But I'd prefer to be a fulltime Avenger" he adds with a smile.

"You and me both" you reply.

"I've been meaning to ask you something. If your dad doesn't want you to fight, why does he let you train?" Peter asks.

You bite your lip. "Honestly? I'm not sure. He always says he wants me to know how to defend myself. Part of me hopes he's secretly preparing me for something bigger" you admit sheepishly. "It's hard, living in his shadow"

"Then don't" Peter says softly.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "Don't be Tony Stark's Daughter. Be Y/N. That's bound to be more interesting"

Now you're the one blushing. "You're a regular Shakespeare, aren't you?"

He laughs and shakes his head, grabbing the empty takeout box and standing. "We should head back" 

"Good point. Dad will have a fit if we're out too late" you agree, tossing the leftovers into the wastebasket as the two of you exit.

It's gotten colder, but you don't really mind. The crickets are chirping again, and the clouds are starting to roll over the moon. You pull your jacket tighter around your shoulders, wiping your still greasy hands on your jeans. You feel a pressure on your shoulders as Peter slides his arm around you. You smirk back up at him, playfully nudging him away with a laugh, thankful that the darkness hides the redness blooming across your face.

"What would you call yourself? If your dad let you join, I mean" Peter asks.

"I have no idea" you admit. "We aren't all lucky enough to have highly specific arachnid-related abilities, you know" you add, poking his chest.

"Maybe I'm just great with names" he replies smugly.

"Whatever, spider-boy"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to anyone who gets my Rihanna reference. If you don't, you have yet to receive the blessing


End file.
